DEAR SUN SPOTS: I work as a server at a local restaurant, and I was wondering about the state laws regarding pooling tips and management requiring servers to give a percentage of their tips to bartenders and busboys. I was under the impression the law says restaurants cannot require servers to share their tips with other restaurant employees. Could you find out the actual state law on this? Thanks for your help. — No Name via email

ANSWER: Sun Spots called the Maine Department of Labor where a helpful young woman with a bad cold referred her to maine.gov/labor/posters. On the minimum wage poster it says: “Tips belong to the employee providing direct service to the customer. Employees may be required to pool their tips to be divided evenly among service employees only.” She said this is a fairly recent change in the law.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: A great-grandfather, James Albee Parsons, 1860-1902, died as a result of an accident in either Auburn or Lewiston on July 10, 1902. He lived at Marston’s Corner in Auburn. Does anyone out there have an old obituary or news article concerning his death? His widow was Ida “Brown” Parsons; parents, James Parsons, 1826-1864, and Hannah “Proctor” Parsons, 1828-1890. — Eileen G Pelletier, aepell@metrocast.net

ANSWER: You are in luck. A couple of years ago, Google launched a project to scan all of the old Sun Journals, Evening Journals and Daily Suns. They are now available online.

You can find these archives at http://tinyurl.com/334ehgd for the Daily Sun and http://tinyurl.com/2v2uu7x for the Evening Journal. They were both being published during 1902, so you may be able to find what you seek.

Note: You cannot print directly from the archive. See http://tinyurl.com/3ufnme3, “Google archive printing possible, not easy” for possible workarounds.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am writing about the Nov. 2 letter from the senior who is alone and needs assistance with future living arrangements and whatnot. I just went through all of this with my mom, and I can’t imagine anyone trying to maneuver through the maze without any assistance.

SeniorsPlus will definitely point her in the right direction with certain issues but it’s not the same as one-on-one help.

Anyway, I wanted you to know that I am willing to help, to some extent, if you wish to pass along my phone number. I speak both French and English. I live in Winthrop, but I work in Lewiston. Thanks! — No Name via email

ANSWER: How very nice of you! The lady who wrote that letter did not include a phone number, but if she writes to Sun Spots with it, she will share yours with her.

Sun Spots just received a letter from another childless senior with questions about how to handle aging, health and financial issues. Unfortunately, she did not include her name, address or phone number, so Sun Spots cannot print her letter. Please include your information when you write. Sun Spots will withhold it if you ask.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the Nov. 22 query on Hodgman’s Frozen Custard, according to their Facebook page, they will be open Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They’ll be selling vanilla, chocolate, black raspberry and pumpkin. They recommend customers get there early because it flies. — No Name via email

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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